They gathered the assembly together but in his frustration with those rebels Moses struck the rock twice rather than speaking to it as God had instructed. Moses did it the same way he did before. (Exodus 17) For some reason when he arrived at the rock with the assembly gathered all around him, Moses, rather than doing it God’s way, simply did what he had done the first time, hit the rock. We can only speculate as to what he was thinking. Maybe he thought God couldn’t do it another way. Maybe he thought that unless he did it the same way he had always done there would be no water. Maybe his frustration got the best of him and he pictured the rock as the people – he did strike it twice! Maybe he trusted his trusty old staff more than he trusted God. That staff had been with him from the time God called him at the burning bush. He and that staff had accomplished many miracles together. Maybe he thought speaking to the rock would make him look small or weak, whereas wielding the staff proved he was in control? We cannot say for sure but the bottom line was he just did it the same old way rather than God’s new way.
Oh they got water but they didn't get what God desired. For Moses it meant not entering into Canaan. We have no way of knowing what God had in mind for them. We only know what happened. The people got their water and the status quo was maintained. They went about their business. God may have planned something far more powerful and revelatory? Speaking to the rock may have been a way God was going to reveal more of Himself and His glory to the assembly? Why did Moses have to settle for doing it the same way getting the same result? How our hearts yearn to know what might have been had Moses obeyed and done it God’s way.
Our hearts should yearn even more to see what God will do in and through us as we respond obediently to His way. God is. He is the “I AM”. His essence and character never change. We affirm this declaring with confidence: Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever! (Hebrews 13:8) But how He works is ever changing according to His divine wisdom. His changelessness does not mean His methods of accomplishing His will and the ways He deals with us don’t change. Even a cursory journey through Scripture and history reveals God cannot be placed in a box; His ways are not our ways. (Isaiah 55:8)
Beloved, let’s not miss out on what God is doing and wants to do because the way we’ve done it is so comfortable and easy. Rather, let us go before God, heed His instruction and trust God and honor Him as Holy (v. 12) by doing what He calls us to do in the way He directs us to do it!
Keep Close to Jesus
Pastor Gerry